| dc.description.abstract | This report is about my internship at the consultancy BiomimicryNL, through which I participated in the Rail4Earth project. The aim of the project is to make the European railway sector more sustainable, environmentally friendly and efficient. Our role, as a team, was to provide the partner companies with concepts that will then be designed, tested and developed in the coming years. The method we used is the biomimicry design process, through which we try to take inspiration from nature to solve problems present within specific areas of the train. My research focuses on understanding the criteria with which the three main client companies, NS, SNCF, and Talgo, choose the biomimetic implementations among those offered. In total, we have identified 4 major challenges: Hygiene, Ceilings and panels, Flooring, and Circular materials. Regarding hygiene, we want to try to make the environment in the train bathrooms healthier and safer for passengers by imitating the functioning of biological models present in nature. For example, we tried to imitate shark skin to create antimicrobial surfaces that could be applied to toilets and sinks, lowering the microbial load in surfaces that tend to be very dirty. For the Ceilings and lateral panels challenge, we took inspiration from the temporary adhesion mechanisms of biological models such as the gecko, which allows us to increase the modularity of the panels, making them easily attachable and detachable for cleaning and maintenance. For the floors, we want to try to increase the durability and resistance of the materials. The last big challenge is strictly related to the others and more general, as we want to use new recyclable and lower environmental impact materials both in the bathrooms and inside the carriages, covering both ceilings and lateral panels and floors. For each challenge, we proposed multiple solutions and in this report I try to present them and analyze the selection process of the partner companies from the beginning to the end of my internship. | |
